Chapter 9 - The Cannibals
The ballroom erupted into sheer pandemonium. Investors scrambled for the documents Marcus had scattered.
Beatrice slowly turned her head, her eyes locking onto Victoria. The terrifying, matriarchal fury in her gaze was lethal. "What is he talking about, Victoria?"
Victoria backed up a step, her mask of perfection completely melting into panic. "He's lying! Beatrice, he forged it to get back at us!"
"I didn't forge the IP addresses that match your personal laptop, Victoria," Julian said coldly over the microphone. "My mother tried to ruin my life to protect her money. But you were stealing it right out from under her."
Beatrice lunged at Victoria. The two women of high society, draped in silk and diamonds, dissolved into a shrieking, vicious fight on the grand staircase. Victoria tore at Beatrice's pearl necklace; Beatrice slapped Victoria across the face with enough force to echo through the hall.
They were cannibals, finally eating each other alive.
The wail of police sirens echoed from the street outside. Flashing red and blue lights illuminated the massive windows of the Plaza Hotel.
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Federal agents poured into the room. Beatrice and Victoria were ripped apart, handcuffed, and dragged out of the ballroom in front of hundreds of flashing press cameras. The empire had fallen.
Julian didn't watch them leave. He dropped the microphone, turned his back on the chaos, and walked down the stairs to where Claire was waiting.
